Keesler Medical Center Closes Feb. 14 -16 for power switch Published Feb. 2, 2009 By Steve Pivnick 81st Medical Group Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. -- Keesler Medical Center will be closed Feb. 14-16 as contractors complete the switch over of electrical power to the new $21.2-million central energy plant. The process will cause a series of rolling blackouts necessitating the closure. During the three-day period, contractors will replace the automatic transfer switches that shift power between commercial and generator power. Power must be off to accomplish this. Medical center officials expect the facility to be "up and running" as usual by 11 a.m. Feb. 17. Because the Emergency Department is included in the shutdown, anyone experiencing a medical emergency should call "911" or go to the closest civilian emergency room. The ER actually will go on "divert" at 6 a.m. Feb. 13. However, should an uninformed emergency patient arrive at the ER during the outage, 81st Medical Group officials have arranged with AMR to have an ambulance on site to transport the patient to an off-base hospital. In addition, even though the ER will not be functioning, they will have a nurse and medical technician there "24/7" during the power outage. Keesler Medical Center has contacted local hospitals to advise them of the outage, and ask for their support to care for Keesler patients while the ER is not available. With no inpatient services available, expectant mothers have been given copies of their medical records and telephone numbers of civilian hospitals. No outpatient medical appointments will be scheduled after 11 a.m. Feb. 13. To prepare for the power outage, no major elective surgeries will be scheduled starting Feb. 9 and the last admission to the Family Birthing Center will be noon Feb. 11. Fire alarms, which have battery backup, and the medical center sprinkler system will not be affected. The central energy plant can provide full back-up power to the medical center during commercial power failures. Additionally, it houses the heating and cooling equipment for environmental control. This building, located north of the main facility, has been elevated above the flood plain. It enables Keesler Medical Center to maintain health-care operations during natural disasters. The new plant replaces the facility damaged by Hurricane Katrina which resulted in the total loss of power to the medical center. It is a major step in completing the medical center's return to full pre-Katrina operations. The Student Health Center, located in the student "Triangle," will be open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 14-16 to provide medical care to 81st Training Group students.